Stitched case



E. M. GOETZ STITCHED CASE Dec. 8, 1953 Filed April 23, 1952 aw/01; dar

2 m PM Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 2,661,823 s'rrroHEn CASE Eric M. com, Manchester, N. 11. Application April 23, 1952, Serial No. 283,859

4 claims. (01. 190 -24) '1 g This invention comprises a new and improved stitched case strong and durable in its structure, attractive in appearance, and capable ofmanufacture with great economy.

My invention may be embodied with great advantage in a container of the suitcase type though in no sense limited to that use but of general .adds appreciably to the structural strength of the case but very greatly improves its general appearance.

Going more into detail, the stitched case of my invention comprises an inner skeleton frame having longitudinal side members and end members of uniform thicknessthroughout, the frame being enclosed in a trough-shaped cover molded of sheet material and enclosing the side members of the frame. Preferably and as herein shown, the molded cover terminates flush with the outer faces of the end members and the flexible binding strip is stitched to the ends of the cover,

folded over the edges of the end members of the frame, and stitched thereto. An important advantage of this construction is that since the end members of the frame are of uniform thickness and unobstructed in the region of the stitchline, the binding may be directly stitched through the material of the end members.

These and other features of the inventionwill be best understood'and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the finished case shown in opened condition,

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the inner frame of the case,

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the flat cover sheet,

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the cover sheet in molded condition, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the step of sewing the binding to one of the end members of the frame.

It will be apparent that practically any material such as lumber, lumber products, plastic compositions, fibreboard, cardboard, metal, or combinations of these materials may be employed in the stitched case of my invention. Theinn'er skeleton frame of the case is best shown in Fig. 2 and comprises two longitudinal side members I!) and II which may be wooden sticks approximately 4" by 1 /4" in cross section and wrapped or coated if desired with colored or ornamental sheet material. The two side members 10 and l l are butted between end panels substantiallyrectangular in shape and secured thereto by nails or screws inserted through these panels. The end panel shown at the right end of the frame comprises a wooden core [2 covered by an outer plastic sheet l3 and an inner plastic sheet 14. The sheets [3 and I4 may be embossed to present an ornamental surface, or they may be colored or lithographed. Instead of plastic sheets, a cover of textile or leather or sheet metal may be employed. As herein shown these cover sheets are secured to the end panel by a rivet I9 located near the upper edge of the panel and also by the nails which secure the panel to the side members l0 and II. The panel at the left end of the frame similarly comprises a wooden core [2' provided with inner and outer covering sheets I3 and I4" secured to the core by a rivet 19. The skeleton frame thus provided is stiff and rigid although it includes in its construction amini mum of material."

The cover of the case is formed from a sheet I5 which may be of plasticmaterial or which may be cardboard or fiberboard or metal covered or coated with a ply of plastic material embossed or otherwise ornamented or colored.- To opposite edges of the fiat sheet I 5 are secured flexible binding strips I6-IB by means of a stitchline H. The binding strips may be conveniently and rapidly stitched to the flat sheet in overlapping relation and-may be formed of plastic material or may be composite, that is to say, they may have a tough core wrapped or coated with upper leather or ornamental plastic material usually contrasting in color with the body of the sheet l5. The operations of assembling the binding and stitching it to the cover are carried out while these component parts are in flat condition, that is to say, all the exposed parts of the case are finished as flat pieces and only then is the cover conformed to its three dimension shape.

Having stitched the binding strips to the sheet as shown in Fig. 3, the sheet is next molded into trough shape of the proper dimensions to fit and enclose the inner frame. The molding operation involves merely two right angle folds and may be accomplished easily and quickly with the aid of very simple machinery. Having molded the cover as suggested in Fig. 4, the frame of Fig. 2 is fitted into it so that the end edges of the body of the sheet 15 terminate flush with the outer faces of the end panels of the frame while the free margin of the binding strips l6 and I6 project beyond the frame. These projecting margins of the binding strips are now folded, over upon the outer surface of the end panels and permanently secured in place by a stitching operation indicated in Fig. 5, that is to say, a line of stitching I8 is formed which passes through the folded margin of the binding strip l6 and through the composite end panel of the frame. This stitching operation may be easily carried out since the end panel of the frame presents a uniform thickness and the stitchline is located sumciently with.- in the margin of the panel to clear the attached ends of the side members 10 and ll.

The case may be completed by constructing a similar cover member 22 having aframe which includes longitudinal side member 20 connected by hinges 2| to the side member 19 of the frame which has been described in detail.

The step of sewing binding strips in overlapping relation to the cover of the case while the latter is in the form of a flat sheet is characteristic of the novel process of manufacturing my improved stitched case, contributing to the low cost of the finished product since it may be carried out easily and expeditiously. The subsequent molding step is also reduced to a simple operation that may be effected without any interference from the stitched binding strips. Finally, the stitching of the folded margin of the binding strips to and through the wood of the end panels or" the inner frame involves handling work of uniform thickness of material throughout and upon binding material which is of gauged width by reason of its previous attachment to the cover sheet.

Again it will be noted that the outside of the case is completed by a simple combination of subassemblies, and that in completing the case no particular skill or training is required.

While the binding strip It has been referred to as being flexible and in most embodiments of the invention will be of a flexible nature, it would be within the scope of the invention to employ a binding strip pre-formed or partially folded into the shape shown in Fig. 5.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail an illustrative embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A stitched case comprising an inner skeleton frame having longitudinal side members and d ting the side members of the frame and terminating flush with the outer faces of the end panels, and flexible binding strips stitched to the ends of the cover, folded over three edges of the end panels and stitched thereto through the wood of the panels.

2. A stitched case comprising a rigid inner frame having a pair of spaced parallel side sticks and substantially rectangular end panels secured thereto, the end panels each including a wooden core covered on both sides by superposed layers of finished sheet material, and a trough-shaped cover of sheet material having a flexible and ornamental binding strip stitched to each end in overlap ing relation, said cover enclosing the inner frame and having its binding strips folded 'over the end panels of the frame and each stitched to a panel by stitches passing through its wooden core and its said superposed layers of covering material.

3. A stitched case comprising a rigid inner skeleton frame each having substantially rectangular end panels each having a wooden body covered with finished sheet material and being of uniform thickness throughout, and side members fastened to corners of the panels, and a troughshaped cover of sheet material enclosing said frame and having flexible bindings which are folded over the edges of the end panels along the outer end edges of the case and stitched through the wooden body of the panels by a line of stitching passing inside the ends of the said side memers.

4. A stitched case comprising an inner skeleton frame having longitudinal side members and connected wooden end panels of uniform thickness throughout, a trough-shaped cover of sheet material presenting an outer finished surface and fitting over the side members of the frame, the cover terminating at its ends flushpwith the end panels, and binding strips folded longitudinally, attached to the ends of the cover and stitched to the end panels by stitches passing through said panels.

ERIC M. GOETZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 71,219 Ritter Nov. 19, 1867 361,885 Morrow Apr. 26, 1887 1,093,484 Schwarzrock Apr. 14, 1914 2,497,979 Cole et a1. Feb. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 269,957 Great Britain May 5, 1927 382,130 Great Britain Oct, 20, 1932 

